Music
by Foxy121
Summary: Frank breaks up with Callie, and is left hurt and confused about his feelings. Sweet/funny one-shot.


**Hello wonderful readers! Thanks SO much for your wonderful reviews on my last one-shots! Sometime soon I should post something with an actual mystery plot... (rubs hands evilly) In case you were wondering, if my one-shots were supposed to go in any particular order it would be, Kiss It!, Music, and then Mechanic Romance. :)**

**(muffled) Idon'townNancyDrewortheHardyBoys.**

* * *

**_Music_**

Frank walked into the house and stormed up the stairs, slamming the door to his room behind him. Flinging himself on his bed, he rolled over, his face buried in the pillows as he tried to sort out his tangled feelings.

He should have seen it coming. After all, he'd heard the rumors for some time now, and she had seemed more distant recently. But all the same, he somehow_ hadn't_ seen it coming.

Rolling over, Frank sighed and looked at the ceiling above his head. He remembered the slightly guilty, averted gaze of Callie's.

_It's just not working out… I love someone else…Sorry…_

The phrases still had no meaning. They were meant for other couples. What did he do wrong? Why didn't Callie love him anymore? Was it his fault?

_Bang!_

His reactions honed from years of detective work, Frank dove off the bed and onto the floor before he realized that the loud noise was the door, not a gunshot. Still, it was so loud it definitely could have passed for one. Sitting on the floor, Frank glared up at his younger brother, Joe, who had settled himself on the bed where Frank had been sitting moments earlier. Joe flashed an unrepentant grin.

_Strike One, _Frank thought. He did _not_ need company right now, least of all Joe's.

"Thanks for making room for me, but you didn't have to go that extreme," he teased.

Frank stood, rubbing the back of his neck. He needed to work this out alone. "Joe… I'm really not in the mood right now…"

Even though Joe was naturally the more impulsive, non-serious one, he detected instantly that something was wrong. Rolling onto his stomach, he looked at his older brother with a little bit of concern showing through his eyes. "So… what happened in your life today, Mr. Happy?"

_Strike Two…_

Frank gave a small laugh with no humor in it. "Before or after Callie broke up with me?"

"Ouch."

"You're telling me."

The brothers lapsed into silence for a moment. Joe dared another glance at Frank's face. "Is there anything I can do…?"

_Strike Three._

"Look, could you just leave me alone for once in my life?" Frank burst out. "I don't want your sympathy, jokes, or whatever. Just let me have some peace and quiet! Please!"

Joe brushed his blonde hair back from his blue eyes, eyes that looked a little hurt as he got up and left the room, his jaw tight with annoyance. He slammed the door behind him. If Frank wanted to be alone, fine!

The tension crept out of Frank as he fell backwards into a sitting position on the bed. Why had he talked to Joe that way? It didn't even _sound_ like himself. But Callie…

Another hour passed. Frank didn't go down for dinner, and no one came to check on him. He guessed that Joe had given the other family members a little "danger" message. Actually, that was kind of nice. Frank still needed to be alone.

_How could she do this to me? _He fumed inwardly. _I told her I loved her. I thought she loved me back!_

Then he sat up with a start. Why wasn't he really sad about this? All his emotions were centered on anger at the rejection but other than just a little bit, he didn't feel an overwhelming sense of loss. _What?_

Slowly, Frank fell back on the pillows. Did he love Callie? A month ago he would've instantly answered yes. But now… he wondered if he ever truly had. She had always been a good friend of his. But _love _was such an unreliable… _sensation._

_ "To find out who you love, just turn to a country music station on the radio. When a song comes on sung by this guy about how much he loves this girl, the first girl that comes to your mind is probably the ONE!" _he remembered Joe joking one time. Now, though, he was kind of desperate. And, well, it couldn't hurt…

Frank almost laughed at himself as he grabbed his little radio and turned the volume down so that it wouldn't carry outside of the room. If Joe found out he was listening to country music… well, he wouldn't hear the end of this one!

_Country music. Country…music… where IS one of those stations? _Frank turned the knob to about a half dozen before finally going to his trusty laptop. In thirty seconds flat he had an internet result. He flipped back onto his stomach and turned the knob. A song abruptly started in mid sentence, but no one came immediately to mind.

_"You got your hands up, you're rockin' in my truck, you've got the radio on, and you're singing every song…"_

Huh. Catchy. Maybe country music wasn't all bad. Frank tuned his mind back in.

_"…but everything you got, you're looking so **** hot –"_

Diving for the button, Frank turned it off, annoyed. Country songs were riddled with bad words. Right? And every other one had beer or a truck in it… right?

After another minute, he reluctantly turned it back on.

_"God gave me you for the ups and downs…"_

_ This _was better. He cautiously turned it up. Just a little.

_"God gave me you for the days of doubt…"_

This was foolish. Why was he listening to country music to find out who he loved? How was this method reliable?

But Frank couldn't resist. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes.

And the image that popped into his mind was one that always made him feel good inside. An image of laughing eyes that flashed into his with a daring kind of quality, a pretty, lively face framed by gorgeous red hair. _Nancy._

The thought gave Frank pause. It was true that she and him had always been rather close. That is, when they happened to be teamed together on missions. He had even felt like he was falling in love with her on a few separate occasions, but stopped himself each time, thinking that he loved Callie more.

Now Frank knew. As weird as it seemed, now he looked himself in the face and it was there. Nancy Drew.

_But she has Ned. I can't get close to her anyway._

_ "For when I think I've lost my way, there are the words you have to say, it's true… God gave me you." _The song came back to the front of his mind.

A smile played around the corners of his mouth. Well, a quick, friendly phone call couldn't hurt. Right? Reaching for his phone, Frank scrolled through his contacts and pressed the number.

"Hello?" Nancy picked up after it rang twice.

"Hey Nancy. It's Frank." He said, feeling suddenly a little self-conscious.

She sighed. With a start, he realized that she sounded kind of down.

"Did I call at a bad time?" he asked nervously.

"No, you're fine. It's just – what's that? Frank Hardy, are you listening to country music?" her voice suddenly sounded amused.

"What? Oh, that!" he forced a laugh and hit the button a little too hard, cutting it off.

"Don't be embarrassed. I listen to country sometimes too."

"Uh… okay…" Frank suddenly felt his old awkwardness that he was known for when talking to the opposite gender. He usually never felt it around Nancy. Shaking himself, he focused again on her tired sounding voice. "What's wrong?" he asked softly.

Nancy sighed again. "I might as well tell you. I… Ned and I broke up."

"What?" He must not be hearing right. Shaking his head, Frank tried to rearrange his brain. _Hardy! Comfort her! I doubt she's feeling very good right now!_

"Wow… I'm sorry…"

"It's okay. I've realized that we just weren't working out together. But it was still kind of a shock, you know?"

Frank smiled wryly. "Actually, I kind of do. Callie broke up with _me."_

Now _she _sounded surprised. "What?! Like, today?" she sputtered, sounding confused.

"Yup."

"Uh… wow…"

Chuckling a little, Frank let his feelings loosen up a bit.

They talked for an hour, just enjoying being friends. When he finally hung up, Frank rolled over on his bed. It was the strangest feeling. Like he had lost something that hurt, but now he had something beautiful to look at.

A timid knock sounded at the door. "Come in!" Frank called, sitting up.

Opening the door, Joe came in and flopped on the bed. "You sound happier," he began cautiously, as if testing as to whether or not the ground was safe.

"I am. Sorry I snapped at you earlier."

"All good. I just finished washing dishes by order of the parental units combined." Joe made a face, and Frank laughed.

Joe scooted over to the edge of the bed. "Hey, let's turn on some music."

"Sure," Frank sighed, his eyes closed. Then reality hit and his eyes flew open. Sitting bolt upright, he lunged for Joe. "Wait!"

_Too late. _

Joe flipped on the switch. Music filled the room.

His eyebrows raised, his younger brother turned to him with a look of high amusement and curiosity. "Since when do you listen to country music...?"

Frank let out a sigh of exasperation and fell back onto the pillows. _Great job, Frank. GREAT job._

**_The End._**


End file.
